seperating personal and professional life

13 Tips for Separating Your Personal and Professional Life

No matter how involved you are in your business, you need to make time for yourself and your family and friends.

Question: What is one tip you have for keeping your personal and professional life separate?

Don't Use Your Facebook Profile for Work

"Use a Facebook page to promote your business, and keep your Facebook profile for actual friends and family only. Many people make the mistake of blurring the line and they're left with the worst of both worlds: They can't promote on Facebook because they'll annoy their friends, and they can't be too personal for fear of coming across as unprofessional with prospects. Separate the two. "


Schedule Your Life, Too

"Reserve personal time in your schedule for activities that allow you to recharge and that add value, such as daily exercise, a weekly date or social night, family activities and vacation. You will not only have something to look forward to, but by reserving personal time you will have extra motivation to manage your time well so you do not have to cancel on others -- or yourself!"


Start and Stop on Time

"I used to let my business drive all over my personal life because I didn't have any set boundaries. Plans with my girlfriend, family and friends would often get delayed or cancelled because I was busy at the office. After a while, I noticed that it took a significant toll on my most important relationships, and I made the decision to always start and end things on time. It's helped tremendously. "


Meditate

"Meditation has allowed me to mentally disconnect from work when I get home at night. There is a great app, Headspace, that is a perfect 'starter course' for first-time users. The app eases you in by making you clear your mind for 10 minutes a day, for 10 days. Having the ability to disconnect when getting home has allowed me to be more creative and frees my mind for new ideas. "


Leave the Office

"I used to get stuck at the office until all hours of the night. That's not good for your personal life and loved ones who are waiting at home for you. So I made one simple change. I booked a family function to attend every night of the week. It could be as simple as dinner or a family walk at a local park. Just thinking about standing your family up forces you to be there with them."


Disconnect From Technology

"I truly believe that this separation no longer exists. The better question is how to disconnect. For me, turning my phone off and going for a hike, a bike ride or another activity in nature is immensely relaxing. "


Turn Off Push Notifications

"Everyone carries a mobile smartphone these days. It's almost impossible to keep things separate. However, you should disconnect from your email after a certain time during the day. If you're on the golf course or out to dinner with family, turn off push email notifications. You can always get up early the next day to respond. "


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seperating personal and professional life

13 Tips for Separating Your Personal and Professional Life

No matter how involved you are in your business, you need to make time for yourself and your family and friends.

Question: What is one tip you have for keeping your personal and professional life separate?

Don't Use Your Facebook Profile for Work

"Use a Facebook page to promote your business, and keep your Facebook profile for actual friends and family only. Many people make the mistake of blurring the line and they're left with the worst of both worlds: They can't promote on Facebook because they'll annoy their friends, and they can't be too personal for fear of coming across as unprofessional with prospects. Separate the two. "


Schedule Your Life, Too

"Reserve personal time in your schedule for activities that allow you to recharge and that add value, such as daily exercise, a weekly date or social night, family activities and vacation. You will not only have something to look forward to, but by reserving personal time you will have extra motivation to manage your time well so you do not have to cancel on others -- or yourself!"


Start and Stop on Time

"I used to let my business drive all over my personal life because I didn't have any set boundaries. Plans with my girlfriend, family and friends would often get delayed or cancelled because I was busy at the office. After a while, I noticed that it took a significant toll on my most important relationships, and I made the decision to always start and end things on time. It's helped tremendously. "


Meditate

"Meditation has allowed me to mentally disconnect from work when I get home at night. There is a great app, Headspace, that is a perfect 'starter course' for first-time users. The app eases you in by making you clear your mind for 10 minutes a day, for 10 days. Having the ability to disconnect when getting home has allowed me to be more creative and frees my mind for new ideas. "


Leave the Office

"I used to get stuck at the office until all hours of the night. That's not good for your personal life and loved ones who are waiting at home for you. So I made one simple change. I booked a family function to attend every night of the week. It could be as simple as dinner or a family walk at a local park. Just thinking about standing your family up forces you to be there with them."


Disconnect From Technology

"I truly believe that this separation no longer exists. The better question is how to disconnect. For me, turning my phone off and going for a hike, a bike ride or another activity in nature is immensely relaxing. "


Turn Off Push Notifications

"Everyone carries a mobile smartphone these days. It's almost impossible to keep things separate. However, you should disconnect from your email after a certain time during the day. If you're on the golf course or out to dinner with family, turn off push email notifications. You can always get up early the next day to respond. "


See Also: Leading Your Startup Team Through the Trenches

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